Ontogenetic changes of ultrasonic vocalizations emitted from infant rats.

Ontogenetic changes of USVs were investigated to establish an index of stress in infant rats. The USVs were obtained by exposing infant rats to cold stress and were analyzed by real-time spectrography. USV waveforms consisted of four types, R-I, II, III and IV. These USVs were closely monitored at the age of 3-7 days in both sexes. From day 14, the frequency and incidence of USVs gradually decreased and had disappeared completely at the age of 21 days. Therefore, USVs should be useful in estimating the stress of infant rats between the ages of 3-7 days.

Biosensing using lipid bilayers suspended on porous silicon.

We demonstrate for the first time the formation of a fluid lipid bilayer membrane on mesoporous silicon substrates for bioapplications. Using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, the diffusion coefficients for the bilayers supported on oxidized, amino-, and biotin-functionalized mesoporous silicon were determined. The biodetection of a single human umbilical vein endothelial cell was accomplished using confocal microscopy and exploiting Foerster resonance energy transfer effects after the incorporation of RGD covalently linked lipid soluble dyes, with fluorescence donor and acceptor components, within the fluid membrane. A signal response of greater than 100% was achieved via the clustering of RGD peptides binding with areas of high integrin density on the surface of a single cell. These results are a testament to the usefulness of such functional molecular assemblies, based on mobile receptors, mimicking the cell membrane in the development of a new generation of biosensors.

Interaction of platelets with liposomes containing dodecapeptide sequence from fibrinogen.

Liposomes with a covalently bound synthetic peptide containing the dodecapeptide sequence HHLGGAKQAGDV, the putative platelet interaction site at gamma(400-411) of fibrinogen (dodecapeptide-liposomes), were prepared. These liposomes enhanced platelet aggregation and specifically adhered to platelets activated on the collagen surface. Dodecapeptide-liposomes released encapsulated materials upon interacting with platelets activated on the collagen surface. The rate of content release was dependent on the peptide surface density, indicating that the interaction between the dodecapeptide-liposomes and platelets activated on the collagen surface induces clustering of the surface-coupled ligands at the binding site on the receptor matrix to facilitate release of the internal contents through the liposome membranes. The level of lipid mixing between the dodecapeptide-liposomes and platelets activated on the collagen surface was relatively low, however it was increased in liposome preparations containing octa-arginine, the (R)8 GDV sequence, while content release was maintained at the same level as that of the dodecapeptide-liposomes. The level of content release and lipid mixing for liposome preparations containing the RGD sequence as a ligand (RGD-liposomes) upon interacting with platelets activated on the collagen surface was extremely low. Both the level of the content release and lipid mixing, however, were enhanced in liposome preparations containing octa-arginine, the (R)8 RGD sequence. Dodecapeptide-liposomes and RGD-liposomes were not internalized by activated platelets. On the other hand, liposomes containing (R)8 PPQ, (R)8 RGD, or (R)8 GDV were internalized by activated platelets, and the extent of internalization was inversely related to ligand affinity to the target.

Reconstitution of adhesive properties of human platelets in liposomes carrying both recombinant glycoproteins Ia/IIa and Ib alpha under flow conditions: specific synergy of receptor-ligand interactions.

Liposomes carrying both recombinant glycoprotein Ia/IIa (rGPIa/IIa) and Ib alpha (rGPIb alpha) (rGPIa/IIa-Ib alpha-liposomes) instantaneously and irreversibly adhered to the collagen surface in the presence of soluble von Willebrand factor (VWF) at high shear rates, in marked contrast with translocation of liposomes carrying rGPIb alpha alone on the VWF surface. In the absence of soluble VWF, the adhesion of rGPIa/IIa-Ib alpha-liposomes to the collagen surface decreased with increasing shear rates, similar to liposomes carrying rGPIa/IIa alone. While adhesion of liposomes with exofacial rGPIa/IIa and rGPIb alpha densities of 2.17 x 10(3) and 1.00 x 10(4) molecules per particle, respectively, was efficient at high shear rates, reduction in rGPIb alpha density to 5.27 x 10(3) molecules per particle resulted in decreased adhesion even in the presence of soluble VWF. A 50% reduction in the exofacial rGPIa/IIa density resulted in a marked decrease in the adhesive ability of the liposomes at all shear rates tested. The inhibitory effect of antibody against GPIb alpha (GUR83-35) on liposome adhesion was greater at higher shear rates. Further, the anti-GPIa antibody (Gi9) inhibited liposome adhesion more than GUR83-35 at all shear rates tested. These results suggest that the rGPIa/IIa-collagen interaction dominates the adhesion of rGPIa/IIa-Ib alpha-liposomes to the collagen surface at low shear rates, while the rGPIa/IIa-collagen and rGPIb alpha-VWF interaction complements each other, and they synergistically provide the needed functional integration required for liposome adhesion at high shear rates. This study thus has confirmed for the first time the proposed mechanisms of platelet adhesion to the collagen surface under flow conditions using the liposome system.